


Home

by Kenzie_Kennity



Series: Max Dennis and the Island of Misfit Saints [7]
Category: Saints Row
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Rating for Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 18:31:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14795715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kenzie_Kennity/pseuds/Kenzie_Kennity
Summary: “Do you have alcohol?” she called.“Yeah. Under the sink!” she grabbed a glass and found the whiskey and downed a shot before she knew it. Here she was again, standing in Max’s personal kitchen for no reason other than the woman had invited her. She’d had the chance to say no, to get off the bike when they passed the main crib but she’d just squeezed Max a little tighter and they’d sped right past. She was pretty sure they almost ran over Pierce who had been arguing with an old woman about something.





	Home

**Author's Note:**

> Canon typical violence and language.

“Have you officially taken one too many blows to the head?” Shaundi snapped as she walked behind the boss angrily. The woman was out of her mind, that much was clear. That was the only logical explanation. Because no one in their right mind would be doing…this.

“Nope! I _know_ I can win!” Max responded, shoving a random pedestrian out of her way as they crossed the street. The man looked at her and raised his fists but ducked and put his hands over his head as soon as she bucked at him.

“How do you know that? Wasn’t the last beating you took enough?!” she still shuddered when she remembered seeing the live feed of her being beat by several assailants. Something turned deep in her belly, something that felt an awful lot like hatred when she remembered how bloodied and bruised when they got to her. “You had to replace a tooth.” She reminded her.

“I know, I was there. But I have an advantage here; I’m planning on participatin’ in this fight. Its not a bunch of losers sneakin’ me on sight, it’s me signing up to fight.” She said lightly. They made their way through the shrubbery and into the parking lot of the dome. “You don’t even have to see it, you can go back to HQ.” she said turning to face her.

Shaundi glared and continued walking. “Not gonna happen.” She shoved past her roughly and shook her head in annoyance. “Somebody has to be here when you’re carted off in an ambulance.” She muttered to herself.

“What was that?”

“Nothin’, Boss.” She said. They walked in silence for a few seconds before Shaundi felt a light pressure on her arm and stopped. She didn’t turn to face Max, not wanting her to see the conflicting emotions play across her face.

“Shaundi, look,”

“You think you’re invincible but you’re not, Max.” Shaundi said quietly. “Johnny thought he was invincible, too.” She added. She heard Max sigh and felt the air shifting around her. Finally, she felt a squeeze on her upper arms and met Max’s eye.

“I know I’m not invincible.” Max started. She paused, gathering her thoughts and glaring at someone who got a little too close to them. She released her friend’s arms and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m badass but I’m only human. But this is a publicly funded, old fashioned throw down. None of us will start with weapons and we’ll only be able to use what’s thrown into the ring. Easy peasy!”

“The last time you participated in one of them, you were beat almost unconscious by cinderblocks. And a chair. There was a goddamn crowbar at one point so excuse me for thinking you’re out of your fucking mind for voluntarily doing this.” She snapped. She huffed, looking everywhere but at Max while she tried to calm her anger. Max dipped into her line of vision again and she decided to just glare at her friend.

“And things have changed. Just a few months ago folks were throwin’ rubber sharks and dildos into the ring so really…. what is there to worry about?” she grinned. When Shaundi didn’t budge she sighed. “I’m doin’ this, Shaundi.”

“I know you are.”

“I’m doin’ this for me.”

“Yeah.” Max sighed and Shaundi rubbed her forehead. “But if it bothers ya that much, I promise that I’ll tap out if it gets overwhelming. Like if there are four mothafuckas with blocks swingin’ like it’s baseball practice. Deal?” Shaundi realized that it wouldn’t get any better than that.

“Whatever. Let’s just go kill some fuckers and get this over with.”

“That’s the spirit!”

\--

“Come on! Get the fuck up!” She hadn’t expected to actually get into the fights. She figured she’d come and standby, waiting on Max to get fucked up by some asshole who wanted a name for themselves. Instead, they were three rounds in and Max had taken down two of the three opponents already. Unfortunately, the third had swooped in with that crowbar and hit her in the back of the knee and then across the back of her shoulders.

She was sure it was going to leave a bruise.

But more than that, every time Max won, a burst of adrenaline hit her system like _she_ was the one out there fighting. “Stop fuckin’ around and get up!” she yelled as loudly as she could. Someone bumped into her roughly and spilled beer on her and she turned to shove him hard. “Hey, watch it asshole!” by the time she looked back up, Max had the final guy in a headlock and was pulling back periodically.

This was kind of awesome.

When Max finally released her final victim and raised her arms, Shaundi had to throw herself into a seat roughly to keep from running up to the gate to congratulate her. She watched, fighting down a smile as Max climbed to the top of the gate and sat there, one arm up in celebration and the other holding on tightly. There was a small cut over her eye and she was bleeding from the mouth, but she was happy, and she was okay and Shaundi wanted to jump up and cheer for her, with her, but she didn’t. Instead she finally stood and inclined her head lightly with a smile, letting know Max that she was happy for her.

\--

“I told you I had shit under control.” Shaundi could feel the energy pouring off Max and it made her feel almost light. She smiled, unable to stop herself and let out a small chuckle. Max seemed so happy, so proud of herself and if she was being honest, Shaundi was proud of her too.

Not that she’d tell that asshole that.

“Alright, alright, don’t let it go to your head.” She had to admit, it was pretty bad ass. “You wanna get cleaned up before we head to HQ?” she asked, watching her friend wipe the blood from her eye with her shirt sleeve.

“For what? I’m not needed for anything am I?” Max asked when they reached a few cars and a motorcycle that were left unattended.

“Well, no.” Shaundi said after a few minutes, already eyeing the red convertible. Max sat on the motorcycle and shrugged a shoulder.

“In that case I’m goin home, gonna take a shower and gonna watch Die Hard.” The bike started and Shaundi always wondered how she always got the stolen vehicles to start without any work to it. Just lucky she guessed.

“Oh.” She didn’t know what else to say and Max revved the bike a little before nodding her head.

“You gettin’ on or not?” it hadn’t occurred to her that Max was waiting on her, but she hopped on quickly, wrapping her arms around Max’s middle and they were off.

\--

“Make yourself at home, I’ll be out in fifteen.” Max waved in the general direction of her kitchen and began pulling her shirt off before she was even halfway down the hall. Shaundi took a second to look and shook her head.

“Do you have alcohol?” she called.

“Yeah. Under the sink!” she grabbed a glass and found the whiskey and downed a shot before she knew it. Here she was again, standing in Max’s personal kitchen for no reason other than the woman had invited her. She’d had the chance to say no, to get off the bike when they passed the main crib, but she’d just squeezed Max a little tighter and they’d sped right past. She was pretty sure they almost ran over Pierce who had been arguing with an old woman about something.

At the time, it seemed like a harmless enough idea. They’d go to Max’s house, eat and hang out. Watching the worst movie, in Shaundi’s honest opinion, of all time. There wasn’t a pressing matter to attend to, there were no rival gangs trying to move in on their turf. It was a peaceful day which meant if they were going to talk, it was going to be about anything other than their next move. She had no idea what the fuck they’d talk about, but she had to come up with something. Quick.

Four shots in and she had no ideas.

“Do you ever get tired of bouncing’ between Stilwater and Steelport?” she choked on her drink a little and almost died when Max whacked her in the back one good time.

“Jesus fuck, Boss! You need to wear a goddamn bell.” She muttered with a frown. Max only laughed and moved to her refrigerator. Shaundi turned to glare at her to her face but had to stop in her tracks. The boss had decided to get completely comfortable in some basketball shorts and a tank top showing off every unnecessary muscle she had.

“Shaundi, you’re one of the top dogs in a street gang. You need to be a little more aware, hon.” She pulled out a bunch of seemingly random items and sat them all on the counter. “Anything you can’t eat?” she asked as she sorted her ingredients.

“No. I can eat anything.” She downed another shot and moved around the counter to sit in front of her and watch her cook.

“So? Do ya?” she asked again. Shaundi thought it over, drumming her fingers on the counter for a few seconds while she considered it. Part of her did get sick of it but she didn’t have much choice. She didn’t want to stay in Stilwater, not while she was trying to change her image but that’s where Johnny was buried so she couldn’t leave it completely.

“Sometimes.” She said finally. Max hummed under her breath and popped a small slice of a bell pepper into her mouth before handing one to Shaundi. She eyed it, never having ate a raw pepper before but hesitantly chewed it anyway.

She kind of trusted that Max wasn’t trying to poison her. Kind of.

“It’s a real pain in my ass.” The other woman said, not even pretending to think about it. “Hell, I’m tired’a both of ‘em if I’m bein’ honest but Johnny’s here and Steelport still isn’t quite ready to leave alone.” She shook her head and turned toward the stove. Shaundi noticed her shoulders and reached across the counter to grab the whisky to take another drink.

She was starting to focus on the wrong thing.

“I’m thinkin’ about leavin Steelport to you and Pierce and stayin’ here. What do you think?” Shaundi blinked hard and frowned.

“Me _and_ Pierce? I’m supposed to share an entire city with that?” Max laughed and turned to face her, leaning against the counter next to the stove.

“Okay. You or Pierce. How’s that?” she crossed her arms over her chest and Shaundi zeroed in on those forearms.

“Better. What happens to the one who doesn’t want it?” she asked. Max shrugged, honestly not knowing.

“A third city wouldn’t kill us.” She said thoughtfully.

“No. That’s a…terrible idea.” She said bluntly. “We have two perfectly good cities because we all work together.”

“We have Kinzie and Oleg now.” Max reminded her.

“They’re not as experienced and I’d be really pissed if you gave them a city quicker than you gave us one. I’m sure Pierce would agree.” The taller woman nodded and Shaundi felt a little surprised that her opinion seemed to carry so much weight.

She…liked it.

Knowing that her opinion mattered to the leader of one of the biggest gangs out there sent a thrill through her, like she was more than her past. Knowing that her opinion mattered that much to Max, enough to make her consider changing her plans? That filled her with a new feeling all together.

“Yeah, I think you’re right.” The other woman said and Shaundi smiled proudly to herself. “Why don’t you go pick us out a movie and I’ll finish makin’ food.” She offered. Shaundi turned up her nose.

“Your taste in movies is shit and we both know it.”

“Well then pick the best shitty one.” Max waved her off.

“I’m not picking Die Hard.”

“What? Why not? Pierce would pick Die Hard.” It almost sounded like Max was pouting but that couldn’t be the case.

“Yeah, well he’s a moron.”


End file.
